Excursion Report - Devonshire Mineral Collection at

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

Host: Mick Cooper - Saturday May 17th 2008

The first outing of the 2008 Summer Programme took place on Saturday 17th May. Eighteen members assembled at the Security Lodge below the imposing façade of Chatsworth House. The weather was in the main fine if overcast.

Mick Cooper joined us and we were duly signed in and entered through heavy guilded wrought iron gates. Mick led us through a small courtyard and into the flagged corridors of the lower regions of the vast building. Without his guidance it would have been an easy matter to get lost. We passed bizarre artefacts including numerous wardrobes and enormous picture frames, some of which appeared to be made of sandstone. All around were the sounds of busy staff before we were led into the contrasting quiet of a fine carpeted library/work room. Mick commenced his talk with an outline of what he had been given both in terms of specimens and work space, a vaulted brick storeroom. Specimens were retrieved randomly from a confused mass of material, often wrapped in newspaper, or set on wooden mounts or even crumbling to pieces. More poorly labelled and curated specimens arrived as new areas of the house were cleared. Staff soon learnt where to send these items and slowly Mick and colleagues, spurred on by the rarity and fine quality of the minerals, commenced their forensic geology in attempts to find their provenance. Despite the convoluted methods required, it was clear that Mick thoroughly enjoyed the quest, which took him abroad at times.

(Left): In the curator’s lair at Chatsworth, listening to Mick Cooper © Andrew Swift

Mick and his helpers, including Section member Frank Ince, by unlocking the codes behind the faded and torn labels on the specimens realized that, in the main, they had come from three collections. As word got around Mick obtained a catalogue of an important 19th century auction where he discovered many of his treasures. Painstaking work confirmed the origin, means of transit and type of mineral. It seemed that the collection was probably started by Georgiana Cavendish, nee Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire. It would appear that Georgiana had the means to acquire specimens of great rarity and value but that she also sought to extend her knowledge of mineralogy by consulting, within her social circle, with scientists of the day. However when it became apparent that she was to give birth to a child that was not the Duke’s she was ostracized to Europe and the collecting and cataloguing went into obeiance.

The baton was taken up by a later Duke, a bachelor who once again had the time and the means to seek out, in an age of avid collectors, the most prized specimens. Although less scientific in his approach the Collection continued to grow.  And as the modern cataloguing progressed Mick was able to acquire, on behalf of the estate, some ex-display drawers from a museum and further enhance the collection we see today.

We had the opportunity to go in small groups to another repository to examine some fine specimens held there, a small room shared with tapestries and other treasures. It seemed that despite the huge size of Chatsworth, storage space was at a premium and doubling up of quite unrelated collections was quite usual.

On leaving we gave a well deserved vote of thanks to Mick (and Frank, who was also present) and made plans to visit the Devonshire Arms in nearby Baslow. Mick indicated he might join us, but in the event did not. Notwithstanding, the small group that did assemble there enjoyed a lively, convivial lunch.

Helen Jones & Andrew Swift

(photo Andrew Swift)

Corollary

It was with great shock and sadness that all who attended this excursion, and indeed the Section as a whole, greeted the news of Mick Cooper’s untimely death, only two weeks or so after the trip. We also remembered the fine talk he gave us in last year’s programme. Condolences were sent to his partner and we were left to reflect how fortunate we were to enjoy his expertise at such an unknowingly late stage in his life.

Andrew Swift